Summary: Leigh Botts starts out as a second grader who writes to an author he likes after reading one of the author's books. He continues to write the author each time being dissatisfied with the authors responses. The author and Leigh have a very back and forth relationship but the author causes Leigh to think about himself and writing. As Leigh gets older his life gets harder and he relies on writing to keep him company. In the end Leigh finds piece at being a writer himself instead of glorifying the author he writes to.

Personal reaction: I believe Leigh went through what most children go through. I like how he wasn't perfect and had to work on himself to find peace. Not everyone was nice in the book and not everything worked out which is a more realistic approach than to sum it up with "happily ever after" like most children's stories do.

The subject of letter writing may seem like history, but this book actually made me want to reach out to someone using paper and pencil, like it used to be in the old days. I don't know that I can explain why, maybe it was the fact that the child stuck to what he was doing, even though in the beginning adults were pushing him when he wasn't really feeling it. This alone is proof to young readers that though you might not like something at first, you may find you enjoy it in the end.

The story of Leigh's life isn't an easy one. He is dealing with his parents being divorced, he is dealing with the struggles of the living situation that comes with divorce, but it isn't a heavy or weighted book. There are down times and there are moments of enjoyment, there are times when he becomes angry, but there are times when things seem to be going okay and there is nothing to be frustrated about. Through the letter writing we learn a lot about Leigh's situation, his feelings, and his desire to be a writer.

An excellent book for young readers who want to be authors some day or for children in single parent households. The unique style of the writing (the book is basically a collection of letters and diary entries) helps to encourage the reader to envision themselves as a part of the story or to apply it to their lives. Easy to see why it won the Newbery Award. ( )

I read this book when I was in 5th grade and, now having picked it up again I really did not remember it being so deep. Divorce, a strained relationships with parents and just having to move on as things change. To me, this is to boys what Esperanza Rising is to girls.

My only complaint about the story is that the in oder to convey Voice to the narrator, the text and tone are dumbed-down (somewhat). That said, there was a lot of potential for a sad story, however, it comes off as a sweet testament to the trials of life.

The big idea here is that life doesn't always give us the answers we are looking for in a clear path. Sometimes it takes a while and sometimes we may not really know.

While reading “Dear Mr. Henshaw”, I got so caught up in the story of Leigh’s life as it unfolded in letters that I forgot the book wasn’t really written by its main character, Leigh but by Beverly Cleary – she is just that talented. Beginning in second grade and continuing for the next four years, Leigh writes letters to his favorite author, Mr. Henshaw. Some of the letters he mails others he doesn’t and these function as his diary. Leigh uses his correspondence with Mr. Henshaw as a way to work through family and school problems large and small. ( )

When, in second grade, Leigh writes to an author to tell him how much he "licked" his book, he never suspects that he'll still be writing to him four years later. And he never imagines the kinds of things he'll be writing about:

Dear Mr. Henshaw, I am sorry I was rude in my last letter... Maybe I was mad about other things, like Dad forgetting to send this month's support payment. Mom tried to phone him at the trailer park where, as Mom says, he hangs his hat.

It's not easy being the new kid in town, with recently divorced parents, no dog anymore, and a lunch that gets stolen every day (all the "good stuff," anyway). Writing letters, first to the real Mr. Henshaw, and then in a diary to a pretend Mr. Henshaw, may be just what he needs.

This Newbery Medal-winning book, by the terrifically popular and prolific Beverly Cleary (Ramona Quimby, Age 8 and Runaway Ralph), exhibits a subtlety and sensitivity that will be appreciated by any youngster who feels lonely and troubled during the transition into adolescence. Winner of numerous other awards, including two Newbery Honors, Cleary teams up with Caldecott winner Paul O. Zelinsky, who creates a quiet backdrop for the realistic characters. (Ages 8 to 12) --Emilie Coulter